Heating system



J. MULLEN ET AL HEATING SYSTEM IVA 1/ INVENTOR j/vf.; /yauf/v ATTORNEY ytermittently discharging `the `steam when the level ofthe water in thePatented May 5, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES IVIULJZJIBT` AND LEAMAN S. HARVEY, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

p HEATING sYsTEivr.

Application filed May 19, 1924.` Serial No'. 714,269.

To all 'whom t may concern: i

Be it known that we, JAMES MULLEN and LEAMAN S. HARVEY, citizens of theUnited vheat-sensitive mechanisms.

One object of this invention is to provide a steam trap of the abovenature which will remove condensed steam and air from a relatively largenumber o-f heating units of a heating system.

A further object of the invention is to provide a steam trap having afloat for incondensed `steamtrap and the heating system to which it isconnected. y

Fig. 2 is a sectional view` of the trap, taken along the plane 2-2ofFig. 1, looking downwardly and showing the construction of the float.

'Fig 3 is a sectional view of the valve stem, taken along the plane 3-3of Fig. 1,

looking downwardly.

Referring now to the drawings 1n which likereference numerals denotecorrespond-` ing parts throughout thepseveral v1ews,the

steam trap includes a'hollow casing or tank 10, preferably formed intheshape of a cube and providedwith a flanged top portion 11, upon which aflat square cover 12 is secured by means of bolts 13.

The cover 12 is provided near one side edge with an upwardly extendingvent pipe 14 having a downwardly inclined portion 15 open to the air andadapted to pass outside of the building. This vent pipe is employed toreduce the strains in the pipes, and to eliminate bangingno-ises and thestarting of leaks. The downwardly inclined portion 15 of the vent pipeserves as a condenser in which any steam which may pass through the trap.will be air-cooled and condensed before it reaches the outeratmosphere.

Located within the casing 10 is a float 16 preferably constructed ofwood and having a hollowvertical central passage 17, said float fittingloosely within the interior of the casing. A valve stem 18 is Vslidablyfitted within the passage 17, and is provided -with a lcylindricaladjustable fiat collar 19 fitted upon itsupper end and secured inposition in any suitable manner, as by two set screws engaging inthreads. Below the oat, the stem 18 has a. perforated fixed circulardisc 20. The collar 19 is adapted to be lifted when the iloat has risento a predetermined point, and thus raises the valve stem 18 which isprovided on its lower end f with a valve head 21. The valve head 21 hasa cylindrical intermediate section 22 and -a` conical base 23 which isadapted to seat in a conical outlet bushing 24 located in `the bottom ofthe casing 10. The bushing 24 has -a pair of shoulders 24a and 24b andis provided with a downwardly extending section 25, upon which isscrewed an outlet may be pumpedback into the steam boiler, not shown.VIn order to form a water-`tight joint between the outlet :bushing 24andthe bottom of the tank, washers 27 and 28 are provided above andbelow the base of the tank respectively, said washers being held tightlyin position against the shoulders 24a and 24b andthe base ofthe casing,by means of a nut 29 screwed on the outside of the bushing 24 andengaging said washer 28.

In order topermit the float 16 to rise and fall within the cubicalcasing 10 with the `minimum of friction, the float is provided `sockets38 and 39 located at the rear of the recesses 34 and 35.

The four sets of roller bearings'30 and 31 are adapted to be resilientlypressed out- `pipe 26. If desired, the condensed steam CII wardlyagainst the four walls of the cubical casing 10 by means of spiralsprings 40 and 41 located on said stems 36 and 37 between the bases ofthe recesses 34 and 35 and the brackets 32 and 33 respectively. A gaugeglass 42 is provided on one side of the casing to indicate the level ofthe water therein.

The casing 10 is adapted to receive the drip or condensed steam from theheating units of a heating system through a pair of drain pipes 43 and44. The drain pipe 43 is directly connected to a set of low-pressuresteam heating units, such as the pipes 45, while the pipe 44 isconnected to a set of high-pressure steam heating units, such as pipes46. The drain pipe 44 is provided with a horizontal portion 44L betweenthe ends of which is a U-sliaped depending pipe 47 which serves as anauxiliary trap and which formsa liquid seal when the system is idle.

The drain pipes 43 and 44 pass through opposite walls of the casing nearthe botA tom thereof, and the joints are made watertight by means ofbushings 48 and 49 respectively. rlhe pipes 43 and 44 are provided ontheir inner ends within the casing, with vertical T-members 50 and 51adapted to form bailles to prevent the inflowing hot water, steam, orvapor' from directly impinging upon the valve head 22.

In operation, condensed steam from the heating pipes and 46 will passdown through the pipes 43 and 44 and enter the trap from both'sidesthrough the bushings 43 and 49. The level of the water in the trap willthen rise until the float has been lifted to a predetermined point, atwhich time it will strike the adjustable collar 19. The stem 18 willthen be lifted together with the head 42. The water will then bepermitted to flow out by gravity through the pipe 26 until the level hasfallen to such a point that the valve head has closed under its ownweight, or until the perforated collar 20 on the stem 18 has been forceddown by the weight of the float. 1While there has been disclosed in thisspecification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is tobe understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustrationonly, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specificdisclosure but may be modified and em- -bodied in various other formswithout desaid casing, a lioat in said casing, a vertical valve rodpassing loosely through said float, said valve rod having a valve headfor normally closing said outlet, said rod having a collar above saidfloat, whereby the valve head will be lifted by said float to permitwater to escape when the level in the casing rises to a predeterminedpoint, and a combined air outlet pipe and excess steam condenser leadingfrom the top of said casing, said condenser having a downwardly inclinedenlarged section adapt ed to be cooled by the surrounding air tocondense any excess steam which may pass through the casing.

In testimony whereof, we have aflixed our signa-tures to thisspecilication.

J AMES MULLEN. 4 LEAMAN S. HARVEY.

